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The mayor and two sitting city council members began their fresh terms following this month's municipal election; and two resolutions brought before the Alaska Federation of Natives during this year’s annual convention called for efforts to reduce salmon bycatch in an area along the Aleutian chain.

The labor shortage hitting the nation is particularly pronounced in Alaska, where the rate of unfilled positions is about twice the national average, according to the state’s labor data. And in the Aleutian community of Unalaska, you can see it playing out with tugboat mariners.

Bering Sea snow crab will close for the first time in the fishery’s history. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced Monday afternoon that snow crab — also known as opilio crab — and Bristol Bay red king crab would not open for the upcoming fall and winter fishing seasons. Miranda Westphal, an area management biologist for ADF&G, said stocks are just too low to justify opening either fishery. “All of our crab stocks in the Bering Sea have seen declines the last few years,” Westphal said. “[For] red king crab, we've been seeing declines for a little over a decade now. We just see very little recruitment coming into the population — not a lot of crab maturing into a fishable size. And so we're just seeing more of that this year.”

Bering Sea snow crab will close for the first time in the fishery’s history; travelers can now book mid-November flights on Aleutian Airways between Anchorage and Unalaska; and a new Arctic strategy released on Friday by the White House acknowledges some big changes in the region over the past decade – the rise of military threats posed by Russia, the largest Arctic nation.

Travelers can now book mid-November flights on Aleutian Airways between Anchorage and Unalaska, according to a statement released by the airline Monday morning. Prospective passengers can make reservations online through the company’s website or via local travel agents.

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball calls Honolulu home, but recently it’s seen a lot of action in the Aleutians. Just last month while on a routine patrol, the vessel encountered a group of Russian and Chinese warships traveling together through the Bering Sea. The Kimball’s commander, Capt. Thomas D’Arcy, recalled the encounter during a port call in Unalaska last weekend.D’Arcy didn’t comment on the strategic implications of the foreign warships the Kimball encountered last month. But he said the cutter is staged for just about anything and will continue monitoring the area for foreign military activity.

With 37 absentee and questioned ballots still uncounted, just one race in Unalaska’s Municipal Election is too close to call; Aleutian Airways says they’re starting scheduled flights to Unalaska next month; and Alaska law enforcement seized almost 2.5 million fatal doses of fentanyl this summer, part of a statewide effort targeting the deadly opioid.

With 37 absentee and questioned ballots still uncounted, just one race in Unalaska’s Municipal Election is too close to call; Aleutian Airways says they’re starting scheduled flights to Unalaska next month; and Alaska law enforcement seized almost 2.5 million fatal doses of fentanyl this summer, part of a statewide effort targeting the deadly opioid.

Aleutian Airways plans to start regularly scheduled service between Unalaska and Anchorage next month, according to a statement released by the airline Tuesday morning. Fares for a one-way ticket will start at $659, while a refundable ticket will cost $939. Those fares are about the same as the ones offered by Ravn Alaska — the other airline currently servicing the island. The new regional carrier, which is operated by Sterling Airways, will offer daily flights Monday through Friday, on its Saab 2000 aircraft, which is a high-speed turboprop plane that holds around 50 passengers.

Unalaska declared October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month — a tradition the city has observed for about 20 years. M. Lynn Crane is the executive director of Unalaskans Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence. Crane gave a presentation at last week’s city council meeting, when Mayor Vince Tutiakoff Sr. officially proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.